3 Rob Jewelry Store, Make Escape In 2 Stolen Cars

July 3, 1986|By Peter Aronson, Staff Writer

A jewelry store was robbed Wednesday by two men and a woman who appeared to be pregnant.

The robbers, one armed with a pistol, fled from the store -- Leonard`s Jewelry at 6300 Indian Town Road -- by stealing a beige 1979 Pontiac. A chase followed on Interstate 95 with cars from the Sheriff`s Office, the Florida Highway Patrol and West Palm Beach police in pursuit, said Mike McNamee, spokesman for the Sheriff`s Office.

But at some point, the robbers apparently switched getaway cars, according to police.

Two men and a woman, believed to be the same three people who robbed the jewelry store, McNamee said, held up a man at gunpoint in the Westgate area and stole his maroon 1984 Ford Tempo.

Deputies were still looking for that car late Wednesday.

McNamee said the three burglars appeared to be well-organized. He said a woman, who said she was pregnant, asked to use the bathroom at the jewelry store. After looking around for what she said was a present for her husband, the woman left the store but returned soon after with a man, McNamee said. They then departed. Moments later a second man, armed with a pistol, entered the store and took an unknown amount of cash.

The first man then returned and smashed a glass cabinet with a hammer. He removed some jewelry, then broke into another glass cabinet and took more jewelry. The amount of jewelry taken has not been determined, investigators said. After instructing the clerk to lie on the floor, they fled, McNamee said.

A witness flagged down an FHP trooper near the store and the chase began.

At Westgate, the man whose Tempo was stolen told deputies he was approached by a woman who said she was having a baby and needed to go to the hospital, McNamee said.

A man with a gun approached the car and demanded the man`s wallet. The gunman, the woman and another man then stole the car, McNamee said.